What a redouble says
Partner opens 1♥, the next player doubles for takeout, and you redouble.
A redouble shows 10 or more high-card points. It says nothing about support for partner’s suit: you may hold three hearts, two or one.
Partner has opened, so your side holds at least 22 of the 40 high-card points. The opponents are short of points, and they may be in trouble if they have to play the hand.
Why you redouble rather than bid
After a takeout double, your other bids show different hands, and most of them are weaker. The redouble is how you show 10 or more. After 1♥ is doubled, BidMaestro bids:
- Redouble
- 10 or more high-card points.
- 2♥
- Three or more hearts and 6 to 9 points counting shortness and extra trumps.
- 3♥
- Four hearts and 0 to 5 high-card points. A weak jump, not an invitation.
- 2NT
- Four or more hearts and 10 or more points counting shortness and extra trumps. This is Jordan 2NT.
- A new suit
- 6 to 9 high-card points, with four or more cards at the one level or five or more at the two level. A new suit at the two level is not forcing.
- A jump in a new suit
- A six-card suit with the ace, king or queen, and 0 to 5 high-card points. Weak.
- 1NT
- A balanced hand of 6 to 9 high-card points.
What happens next
The next player usually bids a suit, even with a very weak hand, to get out of 1♥ redoubled.
Opener
Opener normally passes, so that the redoubler can describe the hand. Once the opponents have bid a suit this pass is forcing, because your side will not let them play undoubled. Opener doubles straight away with four or more cards in their suit, including two of the ace, king and queen.
If nobody bids, the contract is 1♥ redoubled.
The redoubler
When it comes back to you, your next call is:
- Raise partner’s major
- Three or more cards and 10 to 12 points counting shortness and extra trumps. Opener bids game with 14 or more on the same count, or with 12 or more high-card points and two aces.
- Bid game in partner’s major
- Three or more cards and 13 or more points counting shortness and extra trumps.
- Raise partner’s minor
- Four or more cards, and two or fewer in their suit. Opener bids 3NT with 15 or more points counting length and their suit stopped, or five of the minor with 19 or more counting shortness and extra trumps.
- Bid your own suit
- Five or more cards, and two or fewer in their suit. Forcing for one round.
- Double
- For penalties, with none of the above. Opener passes and defends.
If one opponent runs and the other then bids at the four level or higher, the redoubler doubles for penalties. That bid is usually a sacrifice. The measurements behind this rule are published.
Other redoubles
A redouble means something different in these auctions:
- Partner’s weak two is doubled
- 10 or more points, and usually no fit. With a fit, you raise on your next turn.
- Partner’s response is doubled
- If you play support doubles, opener’s redouble shows exactly three cards in partner’s suit.
- Partner’s 1NT is doubled
- A rescue, with fewer than 8 high-card points and no five-card major. Partner bids 2♣, and you pass or move to 2♦.
- Your opening bid is doubled and passed back to you
- A rescue: the opponents want to defend, and partner must pick a suit. It shows 15 or fewer high-card points and fewer than six cards in the suit you opened.
In most other auctions a redouble is to play: you expect to make the contract, for example after 4♥ is doubled.
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